HireHigher expands campaign to attract best student talent into the data centre industry

Adelle Desouza set up the Rising Stars Programme as an industry-wide talent development initiative that supports new professionals, helping to increase the value that employers place on young people and increasing the data centre industry’s talent pool to build a sustainable and successful future.  Each event gives the students the opportunity to either visit a data centre or facility that supports the industry and participate in a series of workshops and hear a panel of industry Rising Stars talk about their varied jobs and paths into the industry.

Adelle Desouza, comments, “I’m proud that we have the support of more data centre providers this year including CyrusOne who were our first supporter, to VIRTUS Data Centres and EnerSys. Together we are showcasing all the amazing careers and opportunities that exist in our industry and the Rising Stars are helping bridge the knowledge gap between students and work. Our programme is also educating the next generation about the importance of the data centre industry to their everyday lives.

“Recent statistics by the Harnham Group show that fewer female professionals are joining the UK data industry - down from 35% in 2022 to 11% in 2023 despite numbers having been on the rise in the years before that. So, we all have a responsibility to ensure we are demonstrating what the industry has to offer and that it can be an inclusive and happy place to work for everyone. My aim is to continue to grow the programme year on year – we just need more companies to invest in the programme,” says Desouza.

Steve Hone, CEO, The Data Centre Alliance, comments, “I am immensely proud to have worked alongside Adelle from the start of her campaign and to see it going from strength to strength. The Rising Stars and student programme are a concrete way of helping resolve the skills shortage in the data centre sector. Adelle Desouza’s vision has now become an incredibly inspiring and exciting reality.”

One of the workshops the students participate in looks at how their particular style of energy can impact others and potentially help them identify a rewarding career path – led by The Young People Index®. They work through a typical career assessment scenario to give them an idea of the types of questions and activities they will face when applying for jobs.

Nathan Ott, Chief Polisher at The GC Index and Co-visionary of The Young People Index®, says, “We are delighted to be working alongside HireHigher again this year. We have a fundamental belief that everyone can make an impact in their world. The Young People Index® provides schools, colleges, youth organisations and young people themselves with access to data they have never had before. This enables them to make more informed decisions about their future. We have seen it liberate young people to make a positive impact in their world.”